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Effect of breast-feeding on antibody response to conjugate vaccine
Insights
Breast-feeding significantly boosts infant immune responses to Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination by 7 and 12 months. This highlights the importance of considering feeding methods in infant vaccine studies.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Infant immunization schedules are critical for preventing infectious diseases.
- Understanding factors influencing vaccine efficacy in infants is essential.
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine is a key component of infant vaccination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of infant feeding method on immune response to conjugate Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine.
- To determine if breast-feeding enhances antibody levels following Hib vaccination.
Main Methods:
- Infants received conjugate Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine at 2, 4, and 6 months of age.
- Infants were categorized into breast-fed and formula-fed groups.
- Antibody levels against Hib were measured at 7 and 12 months of age.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in antibody levels were observed between feeding groups at early ages.
- Significantly higher antibody levels were found in breast-fed infants compared to formula-fed infants at 7 months (29.8 vs 17.5 µg/ml) and 12 months (4.8 vs 3.0 µg/ml).
Conclusions:
- Breast-feeding significantly enhances the active immune response to conjugate Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine in the first year of life.
- Feeding method is a crucial factor to consider when evaluating infant vaccine studies and their outcomes.
Abstract:
Infants were immunised at the ages of 2, 4, and 6 months with conjugate Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine, and their responses to the vaccine were evaluated by feeding method (breast or formula). There were no significant differences between the groups in antibody levels at early ages. However the antibody levels were significantly higher in the breast-fed (57 infants) than the formula-fed group (24 infants) at 7 months (mean [SD] 29.8 [32.0] vs 17.5 [14.8] micrograms/ml) and at 12 months (55 vs 26 infants; 4.8 [4.4] vs 3.0 [2.3] micrograms/ml). These findings are strong evidence that breast-feeding enhances the active immune response in the first year of life, and therefore the feeding method must be taken into account in the evaluation of vaccine studies in infants.